‘Assassination team leader’ linked to Saudi prince is pictured entering consulate where journalist Khashoggi vanished

A Turkish newspaper published timestamped pictures it said showed Maher Abdulaziz Mutreb entering the consulate hours before journalist Jamal Khashoggi was allegedly murdered and dismembered there

3-MIN READ3-MIN

Maher Abdulaziz Mutreb, who was previously seen with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman's entourage during an April trip to the US, walks toward the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul just before writer Jamal Khashoggi disappeared there, according to a timestamped CCTV video. Photo: AP

Published: 6:16pm, 18 Oct 2018Updated: 11:54am, 23 Oct 2018

A Turkish newspaper on Thursday pointed a finger at a Saudi security official close to Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman over the disappearance of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, publishing pictures it said showed the official entering the Saudi consulate in Istanbul hours before Khashoggi disappeared there.

At the same time, Riyadh’s ally Washington kept up its cautious stance, with US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo recommending President Donald Trump give the Saudis “a few more days” to wrap up their investigation into the suspected murder of Khashoggi.

More than two weeks since he disappeared after stepping inside the Saudi consulate in Istanbul, neither Turkey nor the United States have publicly confirmed Khashoggi is dead or said that Riyadh is to blame.

But with a steady stream of sometimes macabre claims leaked to the Turkish press, Riyadh is under increasing pressure to explain what happened to Khashoggi, a former regime insider who became critical of Prince Mohammed.

Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi enters the Saudi consulate in Istanbul on October 2. Photo: AP

Turkish police overnight undertook a nine-hour search of the residence of the Saudi consul to Istanbul – who abruptly left the country on Tuesday – and also searched the consulate for the second time.